THE TOTALISATOR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1173, 20 January 1880, Page 2

THE TOTALISATOR.

The " Totalisator " forms the subject of a report bfMr, "Edmund Fosbery, In-spector-General, of New South. Wales police, to the''Principal Under-Secretary. Mr. Fosbery (observes the Sydney Morning Herald) does not favor the use of thfe machines, as will-be seen by his report, which is as follows :—" The totalisator was worked at Randwick Racecourse simply..as an. indicator of the number of times "each horse" in a race (according to his number on the official card) w;as backed to win by the'deposit of a sovereign and purchase of a ticket. Any person desiring to bet or take a chance could readily see the number of pounds invested and consequently calculate the odds about each horse. The total amount or sweep was, at the conclusion of each race, divided between those persons who had taken tickets for the winning horse, 5 per cent, being deducted by the proprietor for Commission. If the winning horse should not have been backed at .all, the sums deposited would be returned to ths ticketholders, less 10 per cent, commission. It was pointed out to me by several persons that the instrument could be unfairly manipulated by a signal from a confederate seeing the winning horse pass the post to the operator at the totalisator, \vho could readily add several numbers to the chances taken for the winning horse, and so Come in for a division of the stakes. This I had under observation by a careful officer in plain clothes, but he could not discover any such fraud. It was unnecessary for me to add that no suspicion, was directed against Mr. Franck. The fairness of this system of betting has been urged as the strongest point in its favor, but something might be said on the other side. The fact that the return, if any, for the investment is prompt, equitable, and certain, might be viewed as affording an increased incentive to gambling, and I have no doubt that many persons who never do business with a bookmaker would try a chance in the totalisator. It is further worthy of notice that boys might readily gamble by obtaining tickets in the totalisator with facility, whilst it would be less easy for them to do business with a bookmaker. The chief objection to the instrument, if legalised, would be that not only would gambling be sanctioned, but that it would be encouraged. It is quite true, as asserted, that the law is at present broken by bookmakers receiving cash for wagers beforehand. on the ground, but it would be difficult to prove the offence."